PTI-backed independents are leading in the final election count

The final results of Pakistan’s national election put independents, led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in the lead with 93 of 264 seats.

The party of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, came in second with 75 seats following Thursday’s elections, missing a clear majority but being the largest single party in parliament since Khan’s independents ran as individuals.

As coalition discussions continued as demonstrators blocked roadways in the north of the nation, it remained unclear who would form a government. The electoral commission announced the final total of ballots more than 60 hours after voting finished, prompting complaints about the delay.

Former prime ministers and fierce rivals have both declared victory, adding to the uncertainty as the country faces a slew of critical difficulties, including negotiating a new International Monetary Fund program to keep a faltering economy afloat.

When the National Assembly is reconvened in the following days, a prime ministerial contender must secure a simple majority of 169 MPs. Coalition discussions will decide if Khan-backed candidates can create a single bloc with a smaller party in parliament to secure reserve seats.

PTI-Winning From Jail?

Khan’s followers ran as independents since the election commission prohibited them from using his party’s electoral emblem.

Despite the ban and Khan’s imprisonment for allegations ranging from leaking state secrets to corruption, millions of the former cricketer’s followers voted for him, despite the fact that he cannot serve in any administration while incarcerated.

One problem that independents have in attempting to establish a government is that because they did not run as a party, they are ineligible to be assigned any of parliament’s 70 reserved seats, which are allotted based on party strength in the final count. Sharif’s party might capture up to 20 of these seats.

A spokesperson for Sharif’s party announced that he had met with officials of the minority regional Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party and they had agreed to “in principle work jointly in the larger interest of the country.”

An MQM leader confirmed the meeting, but stated that no official coalition agreement had been reached.

The electoral commission earlier said that results for two seats could not yet be included: one in which a candidate was slain, necessitating a postponement of polling, and another in which polling will be finished later this month.